Gallifrey High
by Stinkfly3
Summary: She was nothing like the other students. All she wanted was to cook delicious food. Then one day, she befriended a loner, and the two worked together to break free and form their own futures. Doctor Who AU featuring humanized aliens.
1. A Special Skaro Girl

**A/N: This is the result of E-Mail conversations with my pen pal ttobba95. It's meant to be a joke fic.**

**And to anyone who reads my Grojband stories, don't worry. I'm not discontinuing them. This is only a break to work on fanfics for other franchises.**

* * *

Welcome to the town of Skaro, the strangest place in the UK. How strange is it? First of all, the entire population believed a strong military is the answer to everything. Even the children were raised as future soldiers. And if that wasn't crazy enough, some of the people had a strange vocabulary, saying 'exterminate' instead of 'die'. It was as if they behaved like robots.

But the heart of this weirdness came from the school, Skaro High. Led by an unnamed Headmaster and Vice Principal Davros, the students of Skaro High learned about past wars and how to fight in the town army. There were no arts, no sciences, no math, and not even dances were allowed. All classes were based on wars and the military.

This was the way of Skaro. At least until one girl spoke up...

* * *

Our story begins during Ms. Hartigan's cybernetics class, where she taught her students about weapons and war technology. Today was an important lesson, for it was about the Town War, a great battle between Skaro and a nearby town called Gallifrey.

"So class, can anyone tell me how the Town War ended?" Ms. Hartigan asked.

One boy, who was dressed in grey and wore a silver earpiece, raised his hand. "Was it because the people of Gallifrey ran out of functioning guns, thus allowing Skaro to triumph?" he guessed.

"No, that's not it," Ms. Hartigan said. "Anyone else?"

A black-haired, blue-eyed girl wearing a black-grey dress, black flats, and a grey headband raised her hand. "Only an inferior person would believe that," she said. "The Town War ended in the 1990s when the legendary War Doctor of Gallifrey used the Moment and nearly destroyed both towns as a result of it."

"Correct," Ms. Hartigan said. "Good work as usual, Sec."

The boy stood up in protest. "She cheated," he declared, pointing at Sec.

Offended, Sec stood up as well and walked over to the boy. "I did not cheat!" she protested. "Unlike you inferior Cybers, I read the textbook chapter for last night's homework!"

"You think we Cybers are inferior?" the Cyber asked. "Unlike you, girlie, we keep up to date with the world. We upgrade our Bluetooths to fit with the ever-changing world." He smiled in satisfaction. "We are elegant."

"Oh really?" Sec asked. "Because if that is what 'elegance' looks like, then my sisters and I have no concept of elegance."

"That is obvious," the Cyber said.

"Uh, EXCUSE ME?!" Sec asked, fuming at this point. "Need I point out that your little Bluetooth devices are merely nothing more than crude cybernetic constructs?!"

"Our Bluetooths were built with the finest techology," the Cyber defended. "It even doubles as an instant blaster in case of emergency."

Sec put her hands on her hips and scoffed. "Please," she said with an eye-roll. "You think your little blaster can handle a little pest control?"

"Over fifty people in Skaro have similar devices," the Cyber said. "What do you and your sisters have when there is a sudden attack?"

Sec showed the Cyber a silver watch on her left wrist. "This little device doubles as a death laser and a reflective shield," she explained. "And you should know that a good portion of the people here in Skaro have the same technology."

"You think your laser watch is better than my Bluetooth?" the Cyber asked.

"Obviously," Sec bragged. "But at least you Cybers are superior at sucking."

Before anything else could happen, Ms. Hartigan stepped in. "That's enough you two," she said. "Save it for gym class. And Sec, the Cybers' Bluetooths are clearly stronger than your fancy watches."

As the two students got back to their seats (with Sec jealous of how the cybernetics teacher always seemed to favor the Cybers) and Ms. Hartigan continued her lesson, a girl sat in the back row, horrified with what just happened. She had long dark brown hair, brown eyes, and slightly pale skin. She wore a bronze-colored dress that was similar to Sec's. This was no coincidence. Most of the people in Skaro dressed alike. While the colors varied, the clothing remained the same. While they wore a silver laser watch on their left wrists and a dark-colored glove on their right hands, the females wore dresses and black flats while the males wore shirts, pants, and black sneakers. Despite the gender differences, their outfits included strange circular patterns, which were on pants and the skirt portion of dresses.

But this girl hated it. She hated dressing the same as most of the girls in town. There was no individuality. She also didn't like how fighting was always the answer to everything. But no, that what she learned. Weapons, past battles, the great Town War between Skaro and Gallifrey... Nothing else seemed important. Was this what she was meant to become? A genocidal soldier?

Was there ever a choice?

"Clara Oswald?"

The girl looked up, confused. "Yes?"

"Do you know how the Moment was activated?" Ms. Hartigan asked.

Clara took a while to recall what she read in her textbook last night. "Through the weapon's interface," she said. "It gave the War Doctor a red button to activate it."

"Correct," Ms. Hartigan said. As the lesson continued, Clara still questioned her own future.

* * *

Some time later, Clara arrived in the lunchroom. As always, she sat by herself, her usual company being a turkey-sausage sandwich for lunch. But today was different. As she ate, she looked around. Hundreds of students were in their own little groups, but she could still she a good majority looking the same. She recognized the circular pattern on their outfits.

Of course, the ones that stood out the most were the Cult quadruplets, Sec and her three sisters: Caan, Thay, and Jast. They were the highest in the social ladder, and they were easily recognizable. While Sec had her dark look, the other three shared the exact same color scheme. They were brunettes who wore brown dresses, black flats, and golden headbands. Like their sister, their eyes were only way to tell them apart were birthmarks located on their right cheeks. Those birthmarks consisted of a rectangle connected to a small square by a line on the right side. Within the rectangle are three small horizontal lines arranged vertically on the left side. To tell which sister was which, one of these three lines is extended, Sec has her lines the same height, Caan's is at the top, Jast's is in the middle, and Thay's is at the bottom.

Clara hated the Cult sisters. They were not only smarter, but they enjoyed gossiping about the other students. They were the girl posse, always making fun of everyone and staying on top. So why did the Headmaster do nothing to stop them? Viciousness was greatly encouraged in Skaro, and the Headmaster saw the Cult sisters as his best students.

Even if Clara was forced into hostile scenarios, she couldn't seem to activate her blaster, always ending up in a crying mess. And as she finished her lunch, she could feel the tears coming again. She couldn't help herself. She just hated being a Skaro student.

"Never thought I would see a Skaro person cry."

Clara was startled to see a boy sitting next to her, as if he appeared out of nowhere. He had shaggy dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes, his outfit consisting of an army green t-shirt, dark yellow jeans (complete with a familiar circular pattern), and black sneakers. He wore a black glove on his right hand and a silver watch on his left wrist, but there were two chains spiraling around each of his arms, along with several more chains dangling from the belt loops of his jeans. He looked tired and pale, maybe even hungry.

"Who are you?" Clara asked.

"My name is Derek Briggs," the boy answered. "And you must be Clara Oswald."

"How did you know who I am?" Clara asked.

"I kind of figured that," Derek answered with a shrug. "The only girl in school who does not want to fight. I am surprised the Headmaster did not transfer you to the Asylum."

"You mean that special education class for the dangerous students?" Clara recalled. "I do not think cooking is a dangerous activity."

"You want to be a chef?" Derek asked.

"Do not tell anyone, but I am quite good at making soufflés," Clara said. "So what brings you here?"

Derek glanced at his chains. "Because I feel alone in this town," he answered. "We are the same. You want to bake, and I just want to see the sunlight."

"We get sunlight all the time," Clara pointed out.

"That is not what I meant," Derek continued. "We might get sunlight, but Skaro feels dark. Every day, it is nothing but war and hatred. Where is the happiness? Why must we live in such a dark town?"

"What are you saying?" Clara asked.

Derek grabbed both of Clara's hands and looked at her straight in the eye. "I am saying we should get away from this darkness," he said. "Away from the fighting and the exterminating. We can have a new life in another town."

"Which town is that?" Clara asked.

"Gallifrey," Derek answered.

Clara pulled away, surprised and confused. "Why Gallifrey?" she asked. "Have you not heard about the Town War?"

"Yes, but I have relatives who recently moved there," Derek explained. "We could live with them and no one will suspect a thing."

"And are you sure others will not notice our absence?" Clara asked.

"Who would they not notice?" Derek asked in response. "I am the school loner and it appears you do not have any friends. We can leave first thing tomorrow morning and create our own futures."

"I am still not sure," Clara said. "What if the people of Gallifrey recognize us?"

"My aunt and cousin can provide us with some extra clothing," Derek explained. "We just have to talk like them and we will be fine."

"But there is still the War Doctor," Clara recalled. "I am worried that the others are as violent as he was."

"You have until tonight to decide," Derek said. "The choice is yours."


	2. Clara's Decision

For the rest of the day, Clara still thought about Derek's offer. Was he right? Was life better in Gallifrey? And even during her last class of the day, war history with Mr. Saxon, she still thought about it.

"Today's lesson is about the Skaro Civil War," Mr. Saxon said, subconsciously tapping his fingers on his desk. "Can anyone tell me what it was about?" Caan raised her hand. "Anyone who isn't Ms. Cult?" Mr. Saxon asked.

"But Mr. Saxon, you never let me answer anything," Caan pointed out.

"I've heard about your insane knowledge of everything," Mr. Saxon said. He looked over at Clara. "Ms. Oswald, care to tell the about the Skaro Civil War?"

"In the early years of Skaro, there were two separate groups: the Kaleds and the Thals," Clara answered. "They were in conflict with one another because of different beliefs."

"Precisely," Mr. Saxon said. He started to write notes on the chalkboard. "This war lasted for..."

Clara's mind wandered at that point, still thinking about escaping to Gallifrey. Since all she knew about the town was from the lessons involving the Town War, she didn't know what the culture was like. But from what Derek said, it seemed like a happier place. But was it worth giving up her whole life? And what if Gallifrey was just as bad as Skaro?

Suddenly, a folded note fell on Clara's desk. Curious, she picked up the note and opened it.

**Pay attention, you inferior girl! -Caan**

With that, Clara snapped out of it and focused on the lesson. "...and how did the Skaro Civil War ended?" Mr. Saxon asked.

"The school's crazy vice principal invented dangerous weapons that the Kaleds used to exterminate all the Thals."

Clara instantly recognized that voice. Sure enough, it was none other than Derek. "Mr. Briggs, that's not what was written in the textbook," Mr. Saxon said.

"You expect us to believe Vice Principal Davros was a hero who led the Kaleds to victory?" Derek asked. "Because that is not what happened. We could have had peace with the Thals. But nooooo, our 'great hero' thought inventing powerful weapons for the Kaleds was the best answer." He showed the class his laser watch. "These devices have poisoned our minds, mutating us into genocidal soldiers. Vice Principal Davros might be a hero to us, but his solution changed the people in this town forever."

Most of the class was offended, especially Caan, who stood up and aimed her laser watch at Derek. "Traitor!" she exclaimed, her finger dangerously close to the 'Laser' button. "You should be exterminated for your unkind words!"

"Ms. Cult, put your laser watch down," Mr. Saxon said. "And Mr. Briggs, I must ask you to leave this class for today. Hopefully this won't happen again."

Caan sat back in her seat and Derek left the classroom. And as Mr. Saxon resumed the lesson, Clara was surprised to hear the school loner say such things about Vice Principal Davros. Was he _really_ a hero to the people of Skaro?

* * *

It wasn't long before school was over for today, allowing the students to head back to their respective homes. And as Clara walked home, she saw an unusual sight. A boy was spray-painting the phrase 'Gallifrey Stands!' on one of the school walls. Alarmed, she walked over to the boy. "What do you think you are doing?"

The boy looked over at Clara. He looked a few years older than her. His dark hair was unkempt and his dark brown eyes showed regret. He was wearing several layers of clothing. "Just showing a bit of town spirit," he answered.

"Oh, so you are from Gallifrey," Clara concluded.

"Sure I am," the boy replied. "What are you going to do about it? 'Exterminate' me?"

Clara raised her laser watch at the boy. "As a matter of fact, yes," she answered, her finger close to the button.

The boy raised his hands in defense. "Go ahead," he said. "Do your worst."

Nothing happened for a few seconds. Clara tried to will herself into pressing that button. But she couldn't. She just couldn't make herself kill this Gallifrey native. Eventually her right hand started shaking and her breathing was audible. "What are you waiting for?" the boy asked. "Aren't you Skarovians trained to be killers?"

That did it for Clara. She broke down into tears and fell to the ground. "I cannot!" she cried, both hands covering her face. "I cannot exterminate you!"

The boy walked over to the crying girl. "What do you mean you can't?" he asked. "You're trained to be a soldier like the other Skarovians. You know where I'm from, and you know what you've been trained to do. So where is this 'I cannot' coming from?"

Clara regained her composure and looked at the boy, still laying on the ground in sadness. "Why do they hate you so much?" she asked, referring to the people from both towns. "They hate you so much. Why?"

"It's not us the Skarovians hate," the boy answered. "Not directly anyway. They blame us for the faults of our ancestors. The Gallifreyans have fought your people many times."

"I hate this rivalry," Clara admitted, fresh tears still visible. "Why cannot we just be friends?"

The boy patted Clara on the back. "I don't know, Skaro girl," he admitted. "I just don't know..."

"You should not be here," Clara said once she calmed down. "You should leave before someone else sees you."

"I was thinking the same thing," the boy said. And with that he headed back to Gallifrey.

Clara looked at her watch, thinking back to what just happened. The device worked fine and she wasn't due for a battery replacement. So why couldn't she press the button? Why was it hard for her to kill someone from Gallifrey?

"I always thought you were different from the others."

Clara turned around, noticing Derek standing behind her. "Please do not tell anyone," she said. "I do not want to get sent to the Asylum."

Derek walked over to Clara. "I will keep this a secret," he said, helping her get back on her feet. "But tell me, Clara. He was defenseless. A normal person of Skaro would have exterminated him almost immediately. So why did you let him live?"

"I do not know," Clara answered. "I just...could not force myself to exterminate him."

"But you were trained to exterminate the people from Gallifrey," Derek said. "What was it that made you hesitate? Is it because you are starting to realize this town is full of monsters who only exterminate instead of talking peacefully?"

"What about you?" Clara asked in response. "What is your story? What happened that made you...you?"

"The Town War happened," Derek explained. "I had close relatives who died in the crossfire. They were not even participating in the war. I could not recover their dead bodies. That was when I realized this town rivalry is pointless. What is the point of fighting if it does not save the ones you love?"

"I never saw myself as a killer," Clara said. "Like I said earlier today, I only want to cook food."

"So you never lost your family to violence?" Derek asked. "It is only a disinterest? You are a different girl, Clara Oswald."

"So is that offer still open?" Clara asked. "The one about us going to Gallifrey?"

Derek smiled and held Clara's hand. "It sure is," he answered.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you're enjoying this story. And feel free to point out the Doctor Who references in your reviews.**


	3. First Day in Gallifrey

It was very easy for Clara and Derek to get to Gallifrey. Since the two towns were connected by unguarded dark blue wooden bridges, there was no one stopping them from crossing. And as they walked, a thought came into Clara's mind.

"Will our parents know about our absence?" Clara asked.

"I have already took care of that," Derek answered. "My aunt is calling my parents about it as we speak."

"So it appears your parents are also in on it," Clara noted. "What about mine? They are not exactly supportive of my culinary skills."

"Just leave that to me," Derek said. "As someone who is excellent when it comes to computer hacking, all it will take is a quick E-Mail explaining a war training program in London and no one will suspect a thing."

"So, your cousin," Clara said, changing topics. "What is she like?"

"She is the nicest girl you would ever meet," Derek said. "But I must warn you. She is not afraid to fight back. Just stay on her good side and you two should get along pleasantly."

* * *

It wasn't long before the two arrived in Gallifrey. Clara couldn't help but notice how it seemed happier than Skaro. Everyone was dressed differently, showing some variety among the people. Everywhere she looked, kids her age were smiling and enjoying themselves. She was about to join in with a group of kids when Derek pulled her away.

"You cannot walk up to them," Derek explained. "Just look at what you are wearing! One look is all it takes for everyone here to recognize you as someone from Skaro."

"And your cousin has spare clothing?" Clara guessed.

"She sure does," Derek answered. "All we have to worry about is how we talk."

"So we have to speak like we are Gallifrey natives?" Clara asked.

"It is easier than you think," Derek said. "Copy the language you hear from the natives."

"Okay," Clara said. "But I hope you are correct about this place."

* * *

Soon, Clara and Derek arrived at a house. "You sure this is the correct residence?" Clara asked.

"I hope so," Derek replied as he knocked on the door.

A few seconds later, the door was opened by a girl with shoulder-length blonde hair and dark brown eyes. She wore a dark pink t-shirt, a dark blue jacket, black jeans, and blue and white converse sneakers. "Hey Derek," she said with a smile. "It's about time you got here." She noticed Clara. "Who's your friend?"

"Clara Oswald," Derek answered. "She is just as different as I am. Clara, this is my cousin, Rose Tyler."

Clara noticed there was very little resemblance between the two cousins. "How are you two related?" she asked.

"He's from my dad's side of the family," Rose explained.

"So cousin, shall we enter?" Derek asked.

"Oh, you and your Skarovian way of speaking," Rose said with a small laugh. "Of course you can come in."

* * *

Rose led Clara and Derek to the living room. "Mom, Derek's here!" she called out.

An older woman entered. "It's about time you showed up," she said. "I just got off the phone with your mother. Didn't know she was that protective of you."

"It is alright, Aunt Jackie," Derek said. "She means well."

Jackie noticed Clara. "So who's the Skaro girl?" she asked.

"Clara Oswald," Derek answered. "And before you say anything else, she wanted to come here because she would rather bake soufflés instead of fighting."

"I wasn't expecting another one staying," Jackie said. "Who else came with you?"

"Just her," Derek said. "Sorry for the trouble."

"It's alright," Jackie said. "Just another schedule to work on. Rose, you wouldn't mind sharing a room with her, would you?"

"Not at all," Rose answered.

"So I am moving in with your room?" Clara asked. "Can I sleep on the couch instead?"

"Don't be so paranoid," Rose said. "You seem like a nice Skarovian girl."

"Thank you...I guess," Clara said, smiling nervously.

* * *

The next day, Clara and Derek were getting ready for their first day at Gallifrey High. Derek was in the living room, dressed in a Union Jack t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and black boots. To avoid suspicion, he had to take off his glove and laser watch. But he still kept his chains. He liked wearing them.

Time passed before Rose and Clara came downstairs. Like Derek, Clara wasn't wearing her glove and laser watch. After much selection, she finally chose her Gallifreyan disguise. It consisted of a casual red dress and matching boots, complete with a red flower barrette in her hair. "How do I look?" she asked.

"Like a typical Gallifrey local," Derek answered.

"Derek, you can't use that wording," Rose pointed out. "We say 'Gallifreyan' and 'Skarovian' instead."

"Right," Derek said. "I really need to keep that in mind."

* * *

When the three teens arrived in Gallifrey High, Clara was amazed by how different it was compared to Skaro High. Just like yesterday, she saw great variety in what the students wore, especially the girls. Apparently it was normal for Gallifreyan girls to freak out if two of them wore the same outfit. Maybe the classes showed more variety as well.

"You seen happy," Rose commented.

"Of course I'm happy," Clara said, silently reminding herself to talk differently. "There's so much variety among everyone."

"She's right," Derek told Rose, also speaking like a Gallifreyan. "Everyone dressed the same back home."

The small group stopped by a couple of the lockers. "What are the students like?" Clara asked.

"Depends on who you're talking about," Rose answered, opening her locker. "Gallifrey High has eleven star pupils. They're strange, but once you get to know them, they're very nice." She paused, removing a note taped inside her locker. "And two of them appear to have a crush on me."

"Which ones?" Derek asked, curious about who liked his cousin.

"Christopher and David," Rose said as she took out some books and closed her locker. "Christopher might look cold and unfriendly, but he's loyal, always protecting good people from bullies. And David is a bit of a charmer, always popular among girls."

"They sound like good people," Clara said.

Rose read through the note. "They are," she said, smiling at what she read. "But I'm not sure which one I like more."

"Just be careful around them," Derek warned. "I don't want you to get hurt."

* * *

And so, Clara headed for her first class for today: theatre arts with Ms. Poisson, a blonde woman wearing a pastel dress. "Before we begin today's lesson, please welcome new student Clara Oswald," the teacher said, speaking in a slight French accent. "Clara, would you like to tell the class about yourself?"

"No thanks," Clara said. "I really don't want to talk about my life."

"That's okay," Ms. Poisson said. "Just let your personality speak for you."

A red-haired girl raised her hand. "Does this mean we're changing partners?" she asked, speaking in a slightly loud voice.

"Of course not, Donna," Ms. Poisson answered. "Now that there's an equal number of males and females, Matt won't have to work with Amy and Rory anymore."

"But Ms. Poisson, I like working with them!" a boy protested. Her had shaggy brown hair, green eyes, and somewhat pale skin. He wore a brown long-sleeved shirt, black jeans, and black sneakers. He also wore a dark blue bow tie on his neck for some reason.

"No, Ms. Poisson is right," another red-haired girl, probably Amy, agreed. "You need your own partner."

Matt groaned. "Fine," he said. "But it won't be the same without you two." With that, he walked over to Clara.

"Hi," Clara said, smiling. "You must be Matt."

"Alright class, let's pick up where we left off," Ms. Poisson said. "Reciting a Shakespeare scene. If you took my advice from last class and rehearsed your lines yesterday afternoon, this should be easy. Which group would like to go first?"

"We will!" Donna volunteered, looking too eager to participate.

"Hold on, Donna," a dark-haired boy said, speaking in an American accent. "I still can't understand the dialogue-"

"Don't you start now, Jack," Donna interrupted, dragging him to the front of the class. "We didn't rehearse all night for nothing."

And so, one by one, the groups reenacted various Shakespeare scenes. From Donna and Jack's witty performance of Othello, to Rory (a brunette boy with a somewhat odd-looking nose) and Amy's ultra romantic take on Romeo and Juliet's balcony scenes, Clara could tell they were experienced. Of course, the best came from David (a messy-haired boy who appeared to have slight eyesight problems) and Christina (a dark-haired girl wearing a black skin-tight outfit) with their version of Hamlet and Ophelia's love quarrel. It seemed David was a natural when it came to Shakespearean acting.

"Well done everyone," Ms. Poisson said once every group was finished. "It seems everyone did rehearse."

Matt raised his hand. "But Ms. Poisson, I didn't get to go up," he pointed out.

"It's alright," Ms. Poisson said. "And since Clara is a new student, you both have until tomorrow to work on your scene. As for the rest of the class, I want a page-long response about the differences between the original Much Ado About Nothing and Joss Whedon's version."

* * *

**Back in Skaro...**

"And that's why you must never mix calcium with vinegar," science teacher Ms. Mara said, concluding today's lesson. "For tonight's homework, continue to work on your reality bomb replicas that are due this Wednesday. And remember. They're supposed to be replicas, _not_ actual reality bombs. I don't want anyone to accidentally erase everything in existence."

As the students left the classroom, something was bothering Caan. She had a feeling things weren't the same since yesterday afternoon. Was she having another one of her psychic predictions? Or was it something else?

Regardless, Caan saw someone who could help. It was Angelic, a Weeper student. She had short blonde hair and wore a dark grey dress. She wasn't wearing shoes, but that was what all Weepers did. They were rather strange when it came to that.

Caan walked over to Angelic. "Angelic?" she asked trying to get her attention.

But instead of responding, Angelic froze in shock. It was as if she had become a statue. That wasn't a surprise. All Weepers could do that. It always took a while for them to recover. Because sure enough, Angelic was moving again. "Sorry about that," the Weeper said, looking at Caan. "Force of habit."

"That is alright," Caan said. "We are all used to it."

"So what's up?" Angelic asked.

"It is about the girl named Clara Oswald," Caan explained. "If I remember correctly, you are in the same class as her."

"I sure do," Angelic answered. "Psychology with Professor Valeyard. Why do you ask?"

"Because I want to know if she attended today's class," Caan answered. "Did she?"

Angelic thought about that for a second. "I don't think so," she said. "Professor Valeyard said she was sent to some war thing in London. No one knows how long she'll stay there."

"Are you certain?" Caan asked.

"At least that's what her parents said," Angelic said with a shrug.

* * *

**Meanwhile...**

"Welcome to the wonders of science!" a dark-haired woman in a blue-grey dress announced. "Oh, and it seems I see a new face." She pointed at Clara. "You there, what's your name?"

"Me?" Clara asked, surprised.

"Yes you," the woman answered.

"Oh..." Clara said. She took a small breath. "Clara Oswald. I'm a new student."

"Splendid!" the woman said. "I'm Ms. Timeandspacetravelica, but you can call me Idris. Everyone does. Even the students in my class." She proceeded to sketch a planet on the chalkboard. "So, my fellow universe explorers, can anyone tell me what this is?"

A brown-haired girl raised her hand. "Earth," she answered.

"Correct, Sarah Jane!" Idris said. "Yes, Earth! What a marvelous planet! So filled with life and nature! This marks the beginning of today's lesson." She proceeded to sketch some more things on the chalkboard. "Earth is one of the eight planets in our solar system. And no, I'm not wrong. Pluto is apparently no longer a planet. How odd, don't you think? Pluto being rejected from our solar system because it's 'too small'. Don't know why scientists changed their mind about it. Those people sure are crazy. Always changing their mind about things. So! Back to our lesson! Our glorious solar system!"

Clara couldn't help but smile. Idris was a refreshing change from her previous science teacher back in Skaro. So fun and kooky, having a sense of humor in her lessons. Very different from Ms. Mara's serious and demanding nature. If her other teachers were this much fun, Clara was definitely going to like attending this school.


	4. Lunchroom Chat

When it was time for lunch, Clara met up with Derek and Rose to discuss their own class experiences. "Did you like your new teachers?" Rose asked the two Skaro natives.

"Sort of," Derek answered. "I had animal biology with Mrs. Vastra, Physics with Professor Chesterton, and history with Mrs. Chesterton. My new classmates were alright, but this one girl in animal biology seemed a bit off. She was klutzy and often blurted out random things."

"My classes were theatre arts with Ms. Poisson, life science with a woman who wanted us to called her Idris, and human psychology with Dr. Lake," Clara said.

"I remember Idris," Rose said. "I was in her class last year. She's a bit kooky, but her teaching methods always work."

"Science teacher?" Derek asked. He looked over at Clara. "Is she anything like Ms. Mara?"

"Not at all," Clara answered. "Idris is funny compared to Ms. Mara, always getting herself off-topic during the lesson."

Derek smiled. "If the other teachers are like that, then I'm glad we're staying here."

"You actually showed up at a good time," Rose told the two Skarovians. "The town's 50th anniversary is in a few weeks."

"Town anniversary?" Clara asked.

"We never did that back home," Derek said.

"From what I heard, the day Gallifrey was founded is a huge deal," Rose explained. "And every anniversary, a party is held to celebrate the founding fathers."

"Sounds like fun," Clara commented. "Where is it?"

"According to other locals, the mayor decides the location," Rose continued. "At the moment, I'm not sure what the plans are for this year."

"Trenzalore Square."

That voice came from Matt, who just showed up at the table. "Hello..." Derek said, feeling uncomfortable.

"Are you sure that's the place?" Rose asked Matt.

"Of course I'm sure," Matt answered. "According to Mayor Moffat, since the construction of New Arcadia is done, the 50th anniversary of Gallifrey's founding will take place at Trenzalore Square, right where Old Arcadia used to be."

"So Matt, what are you doing here?" Clara asked.

"Oh, right," Matt said. "I want to talk about our theatre arts presentation."

Clara nervously glanced at the two cousins. "This really isn't a good time," she said. "How about I come to your house after school today?"

"Sure, I can do that," Matt said. He took out a piece of scrap paper, wrote down his address, and gave it to Clara.

* * *

A few minutes later, Matt returned to his table, where David, Amy, Rory, and the school flirt River Song (a blonde girl who wore rather revealing outfits) were waiting for him. "How did it go?" David asked.

Matt sat next to Amy, his best friend. "I don't think she likes me," he answered.

"I told you to lose the bowtie," Amy said as she nudged Matt. "It's too geeky."

"Don't start dissing the bowtie," Matt defended. "It makes me look cool."

"But are you sure you want to ask this Clara girl out?" River asked, smiling. "There _are_ other girls available."

"Yes I'm sure," Matt insisted. He glanced at her table. "Judging from what I've seen of her, she's too short, bossy, and her nose is all funny." He looked back at his friends. "But there's something about her that makes her seem interesting."

"Did you at least use a pick-up line?" David asked.

"Come on, David," Rory said. "You don't need a pick-up line to get a girl's attention. I sure didn't."

"That's because I had to play matchmaker and hook you and Amy up," River recalled.

"Really River?" Amy asked, annoyed. "You're bringing _that_ up again?!"

"You forgot your own gender," River said with a smirk. "How is that not funny?"

Matt cleared his throat. "Alright, let's get back on topic," he said. "David, to answer your question, does asking her about a school assignment count as a pick-up line?"

"No," David answered with a chuckle. "What kind of a pick-up line is that?"

"She was talking with some friends and I didn't want to make things awkward," Matt replied. "At least I gave her my address. She's going to visit me after school today."

"So that's your first step to asking her out to the town anniversary party?" Rory asked. "The slow approach?"

"Hold on," River said, trying not to laugh. "You mean to say that you're doing this just so you can come to the party with a girl?"

"Whoa, I didn't say that!" Matt insisted. "Rory's just putting words in my mouth."

"That's not what you told me after theatre arts," Rory recalled.

"I said I was curious about the new girl and I wanted to see what her deal is," Matt said.

"Then why are you blushing, raggedy man?" Amy amusingly asked.

Matt didn't know how to respond to that, so he changed topics. "So David, any progress on winning over Rose?"

"I sent her a love poem this morning," David answered. He pulled out a Sonic Screwdriver, the most popular device in the town of Gallifrey. "Good thing these can break in to lockers without drawing suspicion."

"You really think you can win over her with a poem?" Rory asked.

"Of course I can," David answered. "My only competition is that moody guy Christopher, and what does he have to offer?"

* * *

Meanwhile, in the town of Skaro, the students were also having lunch. And at the moment, Sec joined up with Caan, Thay, and Jast at their usual lunch table. "Hello, my dear sisters," Sec said as she sat down.

"Hello, dear sister Sec," the other three Cult sisters said in perfect unison.

"Let us commence the beginning of today's gossip," Sec said. "Who shall begin the conversation?"

"I will," Thay said. "What is your opinion of the strange girl named Clara?"

"Let me comment on that, my dear sister Thay," Caan answered. "Clara and I both attend Mr. Saxon's war history class as the last class of the day. She is rather strange in her own ways, only speaking when the teacher asks her a question about the day's lesson."

"But are you curious about her?" Thay asked.

Caan paused to look over her shoulder, making sure no one was listening. Seeing that it was clear, she looked back at her sisters. "Affirmative," the smarter quadruplet answered.

"I request further information regarding Clara," Sec said, intrigued.

"Indeed, my dear sister Sec," Thay said. "I have found out that Clara has not attended Ms. Lem's ancient religion class today."

"Fascinating," Sec remarked. "She was not in Ms. Hartigan's cybernetics class as well."

"And a fellow Weeper told me she was absent for Professor Valeyard's psychology class," Caan recalled.

"Do you know what this means, my dear sisters?" Jast asked.

"It means that there is something unusual going on with the Clara girl," Sec answered. "No student in the history of our town has ever missed a class. Not even the Mutes, and they always have their special cologne that alters the short-term memories of others."

"What shall we do about this?" Caan asked.

"Commence the interrogation," Sec answered. "Ask every person you see in town if they are aware of Clara's whereabouts. If you must you force to get an answer from them, I suggest setting your watches to stun mode. We do not wish to harm our allies."

"Understood," Caan, Thay, and Jast replied in unison.


	5. Making New Friends

After lunch, Clara's next class was music with Ms. Pettigrew, a beautiful blonde woman who wore a pale blue dress. "Alright class," she said. "Before we begin, I would like to point out a new student in our class. Please give a round of applause for Clara Oswald."

The other students applauded for a few seconds. Then Rory raised his hand. "Yes Rory?" Ms. Pettigrew asked.

"I already met Clara," Rory explained. "We're in Ms. Poisson's theatre arts class."

"That's nice to here," Ms. Pettigrew said. "So now that you're all acquainted with the new girl, let's begin today's lesson. Did everyone bring their instruments?"

Clara watched as the other students took their instruments out of their dark blue backpacks. To her surprise, some of the instruments were bigger than the backpacks. "How did...?"

"It's the backpacks," Rory explained as he strapped on his acoustic guitar. "They're designed to have unlimited storage space. Everyone student in Gallifrey has one."

"So it's smaller on the outside," Clara guessed.

"Most people say it's bigger on the inside," Rory said. "But it's the same either way."

"Did anyone make progress with their instruments?" Ms. Pettigrew asked the class.

Two dark-haired boys, with one having a red and black umbrella by his seat, stood up. "We did, Ms. Pettigrew," the other boy said.

"I don't think a demonstration is necessary, Sylvester and Patrick," Ms. Pettigrew said.

"Nonsense," Sylvester said. "We prrrracticed last night."

"Yes, but maybe you should-" Ms. Pettigrew started to say. But she was cut off when the two boys proceeded to perform some kind of music skit with Patrick playing the recorder and Sylvester playing the spoons. It wasn't exactly a good performance.

"I think we've heard enough," Ms. Pettigrew said, interrupting the two students.

"But we didn't get to my solo," Patrick argued as he and Sylvester sat back down.

"Why don't we hear from someone else?" Ms. Pettigrew asked. "Rory?"

"What, me?" Rory asked in response.

"Yes, you," Ms. Pettigrew answered. "Care you give us a demonstration of your performance?"

"I'll try," Rory answered. He took out some music sheets, and after a bit of tuning, he performed a beautiful song. At one point, he started singing.

Clara was amazed by the little performance. She never heard noise like that before. It was very pleasing and not painful. _"This boy is a natural,"_ the Skarovian girl thought. _"I did not know noise could be so beautiful."_

A few minutes later, Rory finished the song. The other students happily clapped. "Thank you, Rory," Ms. Pettigrew said. "Nice work as usual."

* * *

"Alright, you quiet boy," Thay said as she held her nose with her gloved hand. "I order you to start talking."

The well-dressed boy in a black and white suit didn't respond. It wasn't a surprised. He was a Mute, and they were always the quiet type.

"Oh, do not give me the silent treatment," Thay said. "Tell me what you know about the girl named Clara Oswald."

"Who is Clara?" the Mute asked in a whispery voice.

"You know who I am talking about, you inferior boy!" Thay exclaimed, getting impatient. "The brunette in bronze! Where did you last see her?!"

"You are holding your nose," the Mute commented.

"Everyone in this school knows about your special cologne," Thay responded. "I want to remember this conversation so I can report your answers to my dear sisters." She aimed her laser watch at him, still holding her nose. "So start talking or I will have to use force to get an answer from you!"

"How?" the Mute asked. "You are holding your nose."

Before Thay could respond, Jast spotted the two. She held her nose and placed her free hand on Thay's shoulder to get her attention. "That is enough, my dear sister Thay," Jast said. "When dear sister Sec said to use force to get an answer, she did not mean when the person in question is confused."

"But he could be lying," Thay insisted.

Seeing this was a stalemate, Jast had no choice but to drag her sister away from the Mute. "I am terribly sorry about my sister," she said told the confused boy. "Please continue on with your day."

* * *

Clara's next class was culinary with Mrs. Arwell, which she was very happy about. She really liked cooking, so when Jackie put the class on her schedule, she was really looking forward to improving her baking skills.

"Okay class," Mrs. Arwell said after she was done with the attendance sheet. "I see you all brought the ingredients for today's assignment. Nice work everyone. And Christopher, I thought I made it clear that there are no bananas in the recipe."

"But Mrs. Arwell, they're a good source of potassium," a big-eared boy wearing a leather jacket replied.

"It's still not one of the ingredients," Mrs. Arwell said. "And hopefully everyone else followed directions."

Clara slightly raised her hand. "Um, Mrs. Arwell," she said. "Am I supposed to work with someone?"

"Oh, right," Mrs. Arwell said. She checked the student roster. "You must be Clara Oswald, the new girl. Go work with Tom and Romana over there. They'll help you catch up."

As Mrs. Arwell explained today's lesson, Clara walked over to who was apparently Tom and Romana. Tom had dark curly hair and wore an unusual choice of clothing, including a long multi-colored scarf. Romana had light brown hair and wore a black and white school girl's uniform. "Hello," Clara quietly said.

Tom responded by holding out a brown paper bag. "Jelly Baby?" he asked.

Clara looked at the bag, confused. "Sure...?" she said, carefully reaching into it. She pulled out what appeared to be a soft, squishy object and carefully looked at it. Were these things real? Could they feel pain? Did they talk?

"Don't worry," Romana said. "It's like a gummy bear."

With great care, Clara took a small bite out of the object. She waited for a sound, but nothing happened. Not even a cry. Deciding that this really was just a snack, she put the rest of it in her mouth and ate it. "Not bad," Clara said. "Do you have these with you all the time?"

"Just a little treat I like sharing with my friends," Tom answered as he put the bag in his backpack.

At that point, Clara noticed Mrs. Arwell was finished with her lesson and the other students were cooking something. "What exactly are we doing?" the foreign girl asked.

"Baking an apple pie," Romana answered as she took out some ingredients from her backpack.

But Clara still didn't get it. "What for?" she asked.

"It's culinary class," Tom answered, taking out his ingredients from his backpack. "Mrs. Arwell wants us to work on a recipe for each lesson."

"A whole class where you bake foods?" Clara asked with a huge smile on her face. "Are we going to work on soufflés?"

Romana flipped to the recipe in her textbook. "After the winter break," she answered. "It's listed on the class syllabus."

Clara couldn't believe it. This was what she always wanted to do! And as she helped Tom and Romana, she thanked Derek for letting her come with him to this town filled with new possibili-

VWORP! VWORP! VWORP!

"What was that?" Clara asked, startled by the sudden sound.

"That's just the loudspeakers," Tom explained. "It always makes that sound when someone uses it."

As if on cue, a voice was heard over the loudspeakers.

**"Hi everyone. This is Elton Pope, and I have a bit of an announcement to make. Ursula, Skinner, Bridget, and Bliss, if any of you are listening to this... He said yes. Mayor Moffat gave us permission to perform at the town's 50th anniversary party. I know you guys might get nervous since the last man who agreed to help out ended in disaster, but I promise you that it will never happen again. Our mayor is a good person and he means well. So keep practicing, and here's to a bright future."**

CLICK.

A dark-haired girl let our a happy cheer as other classmates congratulated her. "What was that all about?" Clara asked Tom and Romana.

"That was the lead singer of L.I.N.D.A.," Romana explained. "What started as an afterschool alien discussion group turned into an Electric Light Orchestra cover band. They got off to a rough start when they hired a man named Victor Kennedy as the band manager, but he was fired after the bassist realized he was purposely tearing the group apart."

"So this gig for the town anniversary party is a big deal for them," Tom continued. "It's going to be their first live performance." He pointed at the beaming dark-haired girl. "Just look at Bridget over there. Her younger sister disappeared a long time ago, and she initially joined L.I.N.D.A. for group therapy. It's been six years since the Victor Kennedy incident. She and her friends were traumatized, but you wouldn't know that, would you?"

Clara looked at Bridget happily chatting with her friends. And at that instant, she understood Gallifreyan behavior. No matter how bad things got, the locals didn't let it bother them. They were strong individuals who stuck together through thick and thin. The people of Gallifrey showed true companionship, and that warmed her heart.

"No," Clara answered with a smile. "She doesn't look sad at all."


	6. Meanwhile

For the rest of culinary class, Clara had fun working with Tom and Romana. As the worked on the assignment, they talked about favorite things. At one point, Tom revealed he and Romana share a pet beagle named K9. Clara did mention her love of baking, but she didn't talk too much about her past life, but that was kind of obvious.

"And that's how we taught K9 how to play chess," Tom concluded.

Clara let out a small laugh. "A dog playing chess?" she asked. "I find that hard to believe."

"It's true," Romana said, taking the now-finished pie out of the oven. "K9 is pretty smart for a dog."

"Think I can meet him one day?" Clara asked.

"I don't see why not," Tom answered. "I'll see if I can bring him to the town anniversary."

"That reminds me," Romana said. "Tom, can you take a look at my Sonic Measuring Tape after school?"

"What for?" Tom asked.

Romana took out a white circular object. "It's short-circuiting," she explained. "A lot of students have been asking for designer requests, and the device is near its limit of fifty registered sizes."

"Sizes?" Clara asked. "Are you some kind of fashion designer?"

"Only the best in all of Gallifrey," Romana answered with a smile. "The 50th anniversary in Trenzalore Square is only weeks away and a lot of people are asking for customized outfits."

"What for?" Clara asked. As someone from Skaro, she didn't get the basic principles of parties and special events.

"It's the town anniversary," Tom answered. "The locals wear their finest outfits for the party."

Clara was still confused. It didn't make sense to her. Why wear an outfit when it's only used for once a year? However, Romana noticed her confused look. "You didn't know?" she asked.

"I heard about the anniversary party," Clara answered. "But not about the outfits."

Romana sighed. "Hopefully this can hold one more size," she said, pulling out the measuring tape and it around Clara's waist. "Just need to scan your waist size, and-"

But when Romana pressed a small dark red button, small sparks flew out and the measuring tape retreated back into the container. "Aren't you supposed to be working?" Mrs. Arwell asked.

"We're done with the pie," Tom answered while Romana nervously put her Sonic Measuring Tape in her backpack.

"Alright," Mrs. Arwell. "I'll check your work in a few minutes."

* * *

Elsewhere, over in Mrs. Vastra's animal biology class, Matt was thinking about Clara. In fact, he was so distracted, he wasn't paying attention to the lesson. Instead, the wide-eyed idealist was writing down ways he could ask the new girl to the anniversary party. So far, he couldn't come up with a good question.

Halfway through class, David noticed his friend's nervous behavior. Wondering what was going on, he secretly took out his Sonic Screwdriver, turned off the volume, and proceeded to communicate to Matt using Morse Code.

**"You alright, Matt?"**

Matt quickly realized what David was trying to do. Recognizing the pattern of flashing lights, he took out his already-quiet Sonic Screwdriver and used Morse Code as well.

**"Not really."**

**"Well, you better snap out of it. The next exam is in three days."**

**"Sorry. I'm just...thinking. That's all."**

**"Oh, don't tell me. It's about that Clara girl, isn't it?"**

**"Probably."**

**"What happened to the slow approach? You ditching that?"**

**"No, I'm not. I need time to come up with a way to ask her out."**

**"In the middle of class? That's not like you."**

**"And you're not worried about Rose falling in love with Christopher instead of you?"**

David hesitated for a few seconds before replying.

**"No I am."**

**"Then for pete's sake, talk to the girl already!"**

**"I already tried. It's not easy talking to a pretty girl that makes my heart beat faster than a running rabbit."**

**"Says the guy who has millions of female fans."**

**"I never asked for that!"**

**"But you always have girls wanting to date you. How do you do it?"**

**"I don't get it either. It's gets a little embarrassing."**

**"But look at you. Your hair is always messy, and you wear pinstripe suits with loose ties, trench coats, and sandshoes. How do you do it?"**

**"Are you accusing me of being popular?"**

**"What? No! Of course not! I just wonder if Clara would like a guy like me."**

**"She could. Well, maybe. Well...you could loose the bowtie. It doesn't work with the long-sleeved shirts, jeans, and sneakers you usually wear."**

**"I wear bowties to look cool. Doesn't matter if anyone thinks otherwise."**

**"Ah... So that's why you-"**

The dry-skinned teacher known as Mrs. Vastra cleared her throat, causing David and Matt to stop their silent conversation. "There should be no sonicing during class," she said. "Remember?"

Matt and David put their Sonic Screwdrivers away. "Sorry..." Matt said.

* * *

Back in Skaro, things were about to take a turn for the worse. It started when the school's health teacher Miss Foster, a blonde woman wearing glasses and a black suit, was taking attendance. She was a calm woman, but the students knew to _always_ take her seriously.

"How odd," Miss Foster said. "It seems Derek Briggs is not in his seat. Does anyone know where he is?"

The students immediately responded, saying they haven't seen him all day. However, Jast remained silent. She only knew about Clara's absence. Was another student missing as well?

"Jast?" Miss Foster asked once the classroom was quiet. "Why aren't you speaking?"

"I apologize, Miss Foster," Jast said. "I was in shock to know another student is not present."

"Another student?" Miss Foster asked. "You mean there are two missing students?"

"The second one in Clara Oswald," Jast explained. "My sisters and I are aware of her presence. She is an inferior girl who has yet to understand the concept of exterminating all enemies."

"And is she friends with Derek?" Miss Foster questioned. "Ever since the school year began, he has complained about feeling 'trapped' in this town."

"Not that I know of," Jast answered. "Are you suggesting something has happened to them recently?"

Miss Foster wrote down a note on the attendance sheet. "Perhaps you're right," she replied. "I'm certain the Headmaster will not like this recently news."

All students looked worried. The nameless Headmaster was the brains behind Skaro High. While no one knew what he looked like, as he chose to remain in the shadows, he had a reputation of being ruthless and cruel. If that wasn't terrifying, a good majority of the students worshipped him, seeing him as a god. But everyone knew this one rule: _never_ anger the Headmaster.

"But we can't let Derek's absence ruin today's class," Miss Foster said, putting the attendance sheet on her desk. "Now let's begin with today's lesson concerning weight problems over the years..."


End file.
